Does the iPhone have a magnetometer?

Author: Kathryne Olson  |  Last update: Tuesday, May 20, 2025

When using an iPhone for directions, the phone considers not only the GPS sensor data, but also the magnetometer and accelerometers. That's part of how it can tell which direction you are pointed in. The magnetic field sensed by the internal compass is not actually pointing to the north pole.

Do iPhones have a magnetic compass?

Remove all Magnetic Material from your device

Your iPhone contains a Magnetometer that is used by the internal compass. Any interference from a nearby magnetic source may affect the compass readings. Make sure to remove any nearby magnets.

Does the iPhone 15 have a magnetometer?

The magnetometer, also known as a compass, adds another layer of intelligence to the iPhone 15.

Which iPhone models are magnetic?

iPhone 16, iPhone 15, iPhone 14, iPhone 13, or iPhone 12 models can charge with MagSafe Charger.

Does my phone have a built in magnetometer?

How it Works. Smartphones come equipped with a magnetometer so that your phone can sense its orientation in space, and use basic apps like the Compass App to determine your location with respect to Magnetic North (or South!). The way this is done is through an internal chip that contains a 3-axis magnetometer.

iPhone magnetic sensor test

Do iPhones have magnetic sensors?

An iPhone measures the magnetic field with a very tiny chip embedded somewhere inside. On most of the iPhones we tested, the internal magnetic sensor was located along the top of the phone.

Is there an app that can detect metal?

Metal Detector EMF detects the presence of metal nearby. Metal detectors measure magnetic field value using a magnetic sensor that is built into your smartphone.

Can I detect gold with my phone?

our gold detector app and gold detector android are to detect any type of gold very quickly, so don't waste more time on other cheap apps and download our free gold and metal detector app from Google play. Our metal finder app really helps you to find metal and gold.

How accurate is the iPhone magnetometer?

Accuracy In Real-World Scenarios

For basic navigation and general direction, the iPhone compass is often sufficient. It may not be reliable for precise measurements or professional applications. Apps like Google Maps combine the compass with GPS for improved accuracy.

What is the magnetic feature on the iPhone?

The magnets ensure proper alignment for fast wireless charging, and you can hold and use iPhone while it's charging. Without the magnetic alignment, MagSafe chargers can also charge other iPhone models and AirPods. (AirPods and MagSafe chargers, battery packs, cases, and sleeves are sold separately.)

Does my iPhone have a built-in compass?

Go to the Compass app on your iPhone. For accurate bearings, hold iPhone flat to align the crosshairs at the center of the compass. To lock your current direction, tap the compass dial. A red band appears when you're off course.

Does iPhone 11 have magnetometer?

A magnetometer is built-in since the iPhone 3GS, which is used to measure the strength and direction of the magnetic field in the vicinity of the device.

Which phone has a magnetic sensor?

Samsung Galaxy S21: The flagship Galaxy S21 series, including the S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra, are equipped with a magnetic sensor [1]. Samsung Galaxy Note 20: The Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra also feature a magnetic sensor, allowing for compass functionality and other magnetic field-related applications [1].

What metal Cannot be detected?

Titanium and Titanium Alloys

This is primarily because titanium has low magnetic permeability and does not significantly disturb the magnetic field generated by the detector2.

Can I use my phone as a metal detector?

Metal Detector is an app for Android that detects the presence of metal nearby by measuring the magnetic field value.

What sensor detects metal?

Inductive proximity sensors are used for non-contact detection of metallic objects. Capacitive proximity sensors are used for non-contact detection of both metallic and nonmetallic objects such as liquid, plastic, paper and more.

Where is the magnetometer in an iPhone?

The sensor is located towards the top right hand corner of the device, and measures fields within a ±2 gauss (200 microtesla) range, and is sensitive to magnetic fields of less than 100 microgauss (0.01 microtesla).

Does the iPhone have a metal detector?

Detecting stuff

Your iPhone has a built-in magnetometer, and if you have an app for reading the data coming off of it (cough, cough), you can in theory detect anything that changes the surrounding magnetic field. Ferromagnets are one such thing. They are basically what people mean when they say magnets.

What sensors does my iPhone have?

Sensors
  • Face ID.
  • LiDAR Scanner.
  • Barometer.
  • High dynamic range gyro.
  • High-g accelerometer.
  • Proximity sensor.
  • Dual ambient light sensors.

How to make a magnetometer sensor?

Materials needed:
  1. Allegro A1302 Ratiometric Linear Hall Effect Sensor IC.
  2. USB cable: steal one from an old device, as long as it has the plug that goes into your PC's USB port.
  3. Resistors: a few values.
  4. Multi-meter: Use a multi-meter you might already own, which measures voltage.

How to use a magnetometer in smartphones?

The magnetometer in the phone measures the magnetic field in three directions at right-angles to each other. If you hold the phone in front of you in a normal “portrait” orientation, these directions are to the right across the screen (“X”), up across the screen (“Y”) and towards you, out of the screen (“Z”).

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